Game



Oct. 3, 1961 s. A. BAKALYAR GAME Filed March 28, 1958 .INVMTGLQ STEM/m4 BAA 4mm nite States Patent 3,002,756 GAME Stephen A. Bakalyar, 135 Ashbnry Ave., El Cerrito, Calif. Filed Mar. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 724,565 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-118).

My invention relates to toys and more particularly to a game of skill.

Among the objects of my invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved game;

(2) To provide a novel and improved game involving skill on the part of the players;

(3) To provide a novel and improved game which can be played by one or more players;

(4) To provide a novel and improved game which will appeal to both young and old alike.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a three dimensional view of the game comprising the present invention in its preferred form;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in section taken in the plane 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views depicting details of construction of the game of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention in its preferred form, the same comprises a ball runway 1 involving a floor 3 having parallel side edges and a sectional contour preferably of shallow curvature for the greater portion of its length and terminating at one end in a relatively sharp curve. The floor is preferably made up of plywood or the like, and terminating at its shallow end in a lip 5 of flexible material such as plastic sheeting. Along each side edge of the runway floor is a bordering wall 7.

The ball runway is supported in an inclined position with the end of sharp curvature uppermost, by means including a strut 9 pivotally secured at one end to each of the side walls, and a side panel 11 afiixed to each side wall beyond the associated strut, to function as a stop for such strut in determining the angle of inclination of the ball runway.

In functioning as a ball runway, the lip 5, being of thin sheet material, provides for smooth ascent of a ball onto the runway from a floor or other supporting surface.

Across the upper end of the ball runway are provided target means 13 for registering a score in response to a ball 15 rolled up said runway, and in accordance with the path taken by such ball.

Such target means may involve a target mounting bar 17 spanning the runway along the upper edge thereof and afiixed at its ends to the side panels 1].. Along this mounting bar are mounted a plurality of targets 19, each having along its bottom edge a central notch 21 and a notch 23 in proximity to each side edge of the target, to form an anchoring leg 25, each of which is provided wtih a transverse cut 27 in the end thereof.

These transversely cut legs permit of hingedly mounting the targets 19 to the mounting bar 17 by means including a staple 29 passing through the transverse cut of each leg and entering the mounting bar at an angle, preferably of the order of 45 degrees, and a toggle spring Patented Oct. 3, 1961 31 for each target, such spring having one end connected to the target at a point above its central notch 21 and at its other end, anchored to a shelf 33 extending rearwardly from the mounting bar for this purpose.

When thus mounted, each target is capable of occupying a stable forward horizontal position in the path of a ball rolled up the runway, and a stable substantially vertical position to which it may jump when struck by such ball.

The angular position of the staples 29 oifers the additional function of blocking lateral shifting of the targets from their assigned positions, while the toggle springs 31 also perform an additional function, namely, that of bolding the targets against jumping away from the staples 29 on which they hingedly rotate.

Provision is made for restoring to their stable horizontal positions, such targets as may have been caused to jump to their stable vertical positions, such restoring means being capable of being operated from a remote point such as the position assumed by a player.

Such restoring means may involve a re-set rod 39 having depending end legs 41, the rod being of a length to extend transversely of the runway.just behind the vertical position of the targets and with each of its legs pivotally secured at an intermediate point 43 thereof to the proximate side panel 11. To prevent such re-set rod from dropping backward, a stop pin 45 is fixed to at least one of said panels adjacent the proximate leg and below the pivot point thereof. By attaching a. pull cord 47 to the re-set rod, the re-set rod may be pulled forward sulficiently to re-set the targets to their horizontal positions. To restore the rod to its former position upon relaxing tension in the pull cord, a restoring spring 49 is con nected at one end to the lower end of one of the legs 41, and under tension is anchored at its other end to a forward point 51 on the proximate side panel.

Such re-set bar takes on an additional but no less important function of preventing rebound on such targets to their horizontal positions, and has thereby solved a troublesome problem encountered in the development of applicants game.

A ball upon striking a target 19 is prevented from going beyond the point of impact by provision of a guard rail 53 extending between the side panels 11 and supported thereby at a distance from the mounting bar 17 substantially less than the diameter of the ball 15, and this not only prevents travel of the ball further than necessary to impact a target, but at the same time leaves the ball free to roll back down the runway and return to the player.

To score the players ability to strike a particular target, the mounting bar below each target is provided with a symbol such as a number indicative of the scoring value for its associated target. When numbers are employed, they are preferably not arranged progressively, but are scattered as to values, whereby marksmanship and skill becomes of increased importance in the registering of higher scores.

From the viewpoint of enhancing interest in the game for youngsters, each of the targets may be decorated with an interesting picture on the surfaces facing the players.

In playing the game, a player rolls a ball up the incline, aiming to strike the targets oflering the highest 3 scores. After'each throw, the ball returns to the player automatically and after a predetermined number of throws, his score will equal the total of the numbers under those targets which have been struck and occupy vertical positions. Following his turn, the struck targets are re-set by a pull on the reset cord, following which a second player takes his turn and so on. The rules, however, may be varied to suit the whims of the players.

From the foregoing description of my invention in its preferred form, it will be apparent that the same fulfills all the objects attributed thereto, and while I have illustrated and described the invention in its preferred form and in considerable detail, I do not desire to be limited in my protection to the details so illustrated and described except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A game comprising a ball runway involving a floor having parallel side edges and a sectional contour terminating at one end in a relatively sharp curvature, and a wall bordering said floor along each of said side edges; means for supporting said runway at an inclined position, with the end of sharp curvature uppermost, said means including a strut pivotally secured at one end to each of said side walls, and a side panel aflixed to each side wall beyond the associated strut to function as a stop for said strut in determining the inclined position of said ball runway; means for registering a score in response to a ball rolled up said runway and in accordance with the path taken by such ball, said means involving a target mounting bar spanning said runway along the upper edge thereof and alfixed at its ends to said side panels, said mounting bar having a rearwardly extending shelf, a plurality of targets, each having along its bottom edge, a central notch, and a notch in proximity to each side edge of the target, to form an anchoring leg, each of said anchoring legs having a transverse cut in the end thereof; means for anchoring each of said targets to said target mounting bar, said means including a staple passing through the transverse cut of each leg and entering said anchor bar at an angle of substantially 4 5 degrees ,to provide a pivot axis for said target, and a toggle spring having one end connected to a target at a point above its central notch and itsother end aflixed to said shelf below the pivot axis aiforded by such staples tolprovide toggle action between a target and its spring and stop means for limiting swing of a target between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position, whereby each of said targets is capable of occupying a stable forward horizontal position in the path of a ball rolled up the runway, and a stable substantially vertical position to which it may jump when struck by such ball; means for restoring vertically positioned targets'totheir horizontal positions from. a remote point; and means for preventing such ball when rolled up the runway, from passing beyond the point of impact with a target, and leaving the ball free to return dovwr the runway.

2. A game comprising a ball runway involving a floor having parallel side edges and a sectional contour terminating at one end in a relatively sharp curvature, and a wall bordering said floor along each of said side edges; means for supporting said runway at an inclined position, with the end of sharp curvature uppermost, said means including a strut pivotally secured at one end to each of said side walls, and a side panel affixed to each side wall beyond the associated strut to function as a stop for said strut in determining the inclined position of said ball runway; means for registering ascore in response to a ball rolled up said runway and in accordance with the path taken by such ball, said means involving a target mounting bar spanning said runway along the upper edge thereof and affixed at its ends tosaid side panels, said mounting bar having a rearwardly extending shelf, a plurality of targets, each having along its bottom edge, a central notch, and a notch in proximity to 'each side edge of the target, to form an anchoring leg, each of said anchoring legs having a transverse cut in the end thereof; means for anchoring each of said targets to said target mounting bar, said means including a staple passing through the transverse cut of each leg and entering said anchor bar at an angle of substantially 45 degrees to provide a pivot axis for said target, and a toggle spring having one end connected to a target at a point above its central notch and its other end aflixed to said shelf below the pivot axis afforded by such staples to provide toggle action between a target and its spring and stop means for limiting swing of a target between a substantially horizontal forward position and a substantially vertical position, whereby each of said targets is capable of occupying a stable forward horizontal position in the path of aball rolled up the runway, and a stable substantially vertical position to which it may jump whenstruck by such ball; means for restoring vertically positioned targets to their horizontal positions from a remote point, said means involving a reset rod having depending end'legs, said rod extending transversely of said runway behind the vertical positions of said targets and with each leg pivotally secured, at an intermediate point thereof, to the proximate side panel, a stop in at least one of said panels adjacent the leg and below said pivot point, and a spring connected at one end tothe lower end of said leg and at its other end to a forward point on said panel to. normally retain said reset rod against said stop pin, and a cord connected at one end to said reset rod; and means for preventing such ball when rolled up the runway, from passing beyond the point of impact with a target, and leaving the ball free to return down the runway.

3. A game comprising a ball runway involving a floor having parallel side edges and a sectional contour terminating at one end in a relatively sharp curvature, and a wall bordering said floor along each of said side edges; means for supporting said runway at an inclined position, with the end of sharp curvature uppermost, said means including a strut pivotally secured at one end to each of said side walls, and a side panel affixed to each side well beyond the associated strut to function as a stop for said strut in determining the inclined position of said ball runway; means for registering a score in response to a ball rolled up said runway and in accordance with the path taken by such ball, said means involving a target mounting bar spanning said runway along the upper edge thereof and alfixed at its ends to said side panels, said mounting bar having a rearwardly extending shelf, aplurality of targets, each having along its bottom edge, a central notch, and a notch in proximity to each side edge of the target, to form an anchoring leg, eachof said anchoring legs having a transverse cut in the end thereof; means for anchoring each of said'targets to said target mounting bar, said means including a staple passing through the transverse cut of each leg and entering said anchor bar at an angle of substantially 45 degrees to provide a pivot; axis for said target, and a toggle spring having one end connected to a target at a point above its central notch and-its other end afllxed to said shelf below the pivot axis afforded by such staplesto provide toggle action between a target and its spring and stoprneans for limiting swing of a target between a substantially horizontal forward position and a substantially vertical position, whereby each of said targets is capable'of occupying a stable forward horizontal position in the path of a ball rolled up the runway, and a stable substantially vertical position to which it may jump when struck by such ball; means for restoring vertically positioned targets to their horizontal positions from a remote point, said means involving a reset rod having depending end, legs, said rod extending transversely of said runway behind the vertical positions of said targets and with each leg pivotally secured, at an intermediate point thereof, to theproximate side panel, a stop on at least one of said panels adjacent the proximate leg and below said pivot point, and a spring connected at one end to the lower end of said leg and at its other end to a forward point on said panel to normally retain said reset rod against said stop pin, and a cord connected at one end to said reset rod; and means for preventing such ball when rolled up the runway, from passing beyond the point of impact with a target, and leaving the ball free to return down the runway, said means including a guard rail supported between said side panels and spaced from said mounting bar a distance less than the diameter of such ball.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kloek Sept. 2, 1913 Loftus Sept. 14, 1926 Shepard Aug. 18, 1931 Beland Apr. 16, 1935 Long May 3, 1949 Firestone Sept. 19, 1950 

